Tainted
by Rielin
Summary: Ara sets up an embark in order to purify the demonic powers that corrupted her brother; with the help of a highly intelligent scientist, Add, as they agree upon an exchange that will change their life. 「Collaboration with Spirify」
1. I

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

 **Characters:  
** Ara - Sakra Devanam  
Add - Mastermind (He has hair like Diabolic Epser, however.)  
Aisha - Void Princess

* * *

BGM **Battle in the Tomb of Hero | Vanilla Mood | kwon7108  
** _kwon7108 is the YouTuber that uploaded the video. Enjoy while reading :)_

* * *

 **I.**

Ara sprinted, slipping and panting as she pushed through fallen debris and citizens that cried out in anguish. The beautiful and intricate designs of homes within Hamel were destroyed as countless dark demons stormed across the city. Cries of help echoed into Ara's ears and she scrunched her face, ignoring them as best as she could.

"Aren!"

Her voice came out hard and heavy, almost like a desperate plea. Her legs burned from the momentum of her speed but she pushed on, every fiber of her being screaming for her to find him.

"Aren! Where are you?!"

There was no answer. Blurry images of bloody citizens flew by as she jumped over a fallen home, sweat trickling down her face and dropping to the ground.

"Ara!" Sharply, the Sakra Devanam came to a halt, whipping her face around to find the source of the voice,

"What are you doing? The citizens are in danger, you need to save them!"

From a far, a man clad in armor walked towards her; Penensio, Commander of the Red Knights. Ara looked down, swinging her spear to her back. She let out a heavy breath and refused to make eye contact. Penensio waited impatiently for an answer, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he took note of her behavior.

"Are you hiding something from me?"

With that sentence, Ara glanced up uneasily, a distant sight from not to long ago popping up within her memories. Her grip tightened on her weapon and she slowly shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry. I was trying to find the source of these demons." It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either.

Penensio's face held uncertainty but nevertheless he said nothing. Turning, Ara hastened her pace, the short time spent talking between her and her commander putting a huge disadvantage on her side. She practically charged down the road, jumping and dodging giants pieces of stone as she headed for the middle of the empire. Deep down, she knew the source of the demons, but somewhere inside of her, she refused to acknowledge it. As she came closer to the center, a tightening pain filled her chest. With her breath held, Ara rounded the corner and prayed to the Lady El, prayed that it wouldn't be him. As she turned, it seemed like time stopped and her footsteps slowed.

"No..." She breathed out brokenly, "No..."

But whatever she said meant nothing as the sight of her brother holding a jagged sword came into view. Silky smooth white hair elegantly floated with the wind along with glowing magenta eyes that stared down coldly. Two thick, large horns grew from his head and his skin color changed to one of a pale violet. He would've looked like a Demon Lord if Ara didn't know who he was.

"Aren!" The Sakra Devanam's voice came out raspy and desperate and she started running again.

The demon turned his head, his eyes holding a endless void. Calmly, he lifted his sword, a light amethyst hue emitting from the blade.

 _Ara back down!_

Suddenly all sounds vanished as the Aren slashed down, an intense shock wave flowing out violently. Within that moment, Ara held her spear in front of her, eyes shutting closed quickly. An extreme amount of power hit her body, sending her tumbling back rapidly. Ara felt Eun's energy wrap around her body as she smashed into the ground, a gasp escaping her mouth. Her head felt heavy and a thundering headache soon came after. The amount of shock, pain, and damage left the girl breathless and incapable of screaming. She could feel her conscious fading and her body felt numb and light. Slowly, her ability to hold onto reality dissolved and she soon fell into darkness.

* * *

BGM **A Tale of Two Sisters OST : "Epilogue" Piano Cover - Lee Byung-Woo | REYNAH  
** _Reynah is the YouTuber that uploaded the video. Enjoy while reading :)_

* * *

Tick... Tick... Tick...

The sound of the clock began quietly, slowly becoming louder and louder. Ara could hear feet bustling and voices whispering. Her head felt heavy and painful and moving seemed to be out of the question. Beneath her body, she felt a soft mattress and a fluffy pillow placed under her head. As she laid there, her hearing was coming back more clearly and she could finally understand what they were saying.

"How could he? He was the hero of this empire! I don't understand why he would do such a thing..." It was a girl's voice.

"He's a traitor. That's the only reason demons were able to invade our city. Our protection is top notch but with a spy, it wouldn't be impossible to infiltrate." This one was much lower, perhaps a man?

"...Yes, he's a traitor. Even if we had hailed him as the hero of this empire, it doesn't justify the amount of innocent

lives lost. He's not longer a hero just another demon."

"He even attacked his own sister. I should never have trusted Aren!"

As the words left his mouth, Ara shot up violently, eyes snapping open as she shouted out, "No, it's not his fault!"

Silence filled the room as the Devanam looked around, her face twisted desperately. The two voices came to be of Penensio and Ariel. Sadly, Ariel gazed at Ara with pity, her usual bright smile gone, leaving behind the face of a broken human. Penensio face remained stoic but his eyes betrayed that, holding a swirl of anger and regret.

"Ara. You can't justify what Aren did. It doesn't matter if it's his fault or not, he was the cause for the amount of lives lost within our Empire." He looked away from her, avoiding eye contact as he spoke.

"But..!" Ara cried out, tears now brimming her eyes, "I don't know what happened, but Aren is not the type to do this. He's my brother I know! He's sweet and warm and he fights for justice... And I just know he would never do this!"

Penensio's face hardened and he turned to face her completely, "Ara!"

The Devanam's voice instantly faded and she was left with tears streaming down her face. Quietly, Ariel sat down on her bed, placing a comforting hand on Ara's head.

"I know this might be hard for you Ara... But, Penensio is right. Even it if wasn't Aren's fault, the city will never forgive him."

But her words were far from comfort and the only thing Ara could do was lay down and cover herself pathetically with the blanket. She heard Ariel let out a soft sigh as the weight of her body lifted off the bed. Silently, Ara listened as the two left, the door echoing close behind them. With her fingers, she wiped the tears off her face, taking the blanket off and sitting up. Her sniffles were quiet and the only sounds left was the ticking clock.

 _Ara... Ara listen to me._

Suddenly, a smooth voice filtered into her head and she looked around bewildered.

 _It's Eun. Ara, listen to me. I happen to know what has become of your brother. During his attack, I sensed a very dark and powerful energy emitting from his sword. I believe this energy is Dark El. If your brother has become corrupted due to Dark El, I advise you stay away from him before it taints you as well._

"Dark El…?" Ara murmured to herself quietly, wiping the last of the droplets of her face.

Shifting her legs, she stood up, carefully looking for her spear. Within the corner of the room, she spotted it and grabbed it before opening the door cautiously. When the coast was clear, the Devanam left and headed for her room. Luckily, the place where she was resting was a small hospital wing within a large dormitory in which she lived in. Despite the sadness which still bubbled within her chest, Ara felt determined to find her dear brother and to cure him. Even it if meant, she would leave behind her home.

* * *

 **A/N**

Spirify and I used to write fan-fictions for Elsword about two years ago, however we quit.  
Recently, we both had burst of imagination and decided it was time to come back, and this story was created!  
All the stories will be posted on mine, iReii's account.

Constructive criticism is always welcomed and please R&R! ^^


	2. II

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **No Game No Life OST Soundtrack Vol. 3 [No Colour] | Gerado Lara  
** _Gerado Lara is the YouTuber that uploaded the video. Enjoy while reading :)_

* * *

 **II.**

"Goodbye."

In thoughts of never seeing the Empire Ara familiarized herself with, she whispered a farewell message as she looked up at the beautiful Empire glistening by the moonlight. The memory of her deceased mother cooking their daily meals and how Aren and Ara always fought for the bigger portion, the memory of welcome her father from another challenging mission as soldier, the memory of the first day of training to become the brave soldier Ara always desired of- they are left within the ashes of collapsed and burnt buildings. The only family she has is her brother, and Ara is determined to bring back the innocent brother he is and prove to the villagers he is not guilty, that he's not a demon.

Ara turned and walked away from the Empire, as her heart ached from leaving her hometown and everyone in it.

However, the terrifying glare Aren had given to Ara when he was in his demonic form gave Ara the determination to make a promise to the Empire, a promise in which she will not return until her brother has been found and cured.

Ara travelled on foot, horses, and carriages. After a month of continuous questions she desperately asked to strangers, all the answers she received were shaken heads. After months of travelling, she found a library inside a small village. She walked to the shelf where information regarding demons can be found, but she actually found a tiny girl reading a book there.

The girl glanced up from her book and glares sharply at the Sakra Devanam before asking, "What do you want?"

Ara was confused by her sudden rudeness. She gazed over the petite female in front of her, taking note of her violet hair that was tied into high twin tails with black ribbons. Her outfit consisted a skimpy crop that was covered with an amethyst colored jacket that reached to her wrist. The top revealed her bellybutton and she wore a skin-tight skirt that had several belts along with thigh high boots. She almost resembled a mage due to the symbols on her clothing.

'Maybe this is how the villagers are dressed like here?' Ara thought to herself silently before the girl asked again,

"I said, what do you want?"

There was annoyance laced within her tone. Ara quickly regained her senses and gulped her fear down her throat.

She asked bravely, "Uh- I was trying to find books about the Dark El and Demons regarding it."

The mage's eyes grew wide with surprisement.

"Dark El? What do you want to do with that?"

Ara could hear the curiosity grow within the tone of her voice. Ara hesitated- Should she explain the entire situation to a complete stranger? However, as hopeless she is currently, she decided any information could help her situation.

"My brother have been corrupted by demons' Dark El and I want to cure him!"

The girl's violet colored eyes grew wide again as she heard the nervousness yet braveness within Ara's commitment. "Oho-..." She murmured under her breath as she switched her glance to the shelf filled with information regarding Ara's needs. Suddenly, the girl changed her direction towards Ara, whom flinched due to surprisement. The girl walked closer to Ara and grabbed her by her arms. "Actually, I can help you!"

* * *

Ara was invited to the mysterious girl- who she goes by the name of Aisha's houses. Every corners of her house was filled with unknown dark elements- there was no sign of welcome in this mysterious house.

"I'm actually a Void Princess. You know those magicians that plays with dark elements and void and you know those things."

Ara had no clue what "those things" were, but she went with the flow as Aisha introduced herself.

"I-I'm Ara. I'm from the Northern Empire and I'm actually an Sakra Devanam- skilled with martial arts regarding the spear."

"And the Demons attacked that kind of area? That's strange."

Aisha murmured under her breath as she acknowledged Ara's experience and skills.

Sweat was tinkling down Ara's back as the nervousness overtook Ara's senses.

She wasn't sure whether to trust a complete stranger about her problem, but she quickly brushed away negative thoughts as it seems as Aisha knew a lot more about demonic powers than her.

"I can only tell you what Dark El do to a person, and how Demons are involved in it. I don't have information about cure... someone else may be able to help."

"Who is that someone? Please tell me!"

Ara cried to Aisha in despair. Aisha, whom seemed as if she expected such question filled with desperation, only shrugged as she answered,

"He's a scientist named Add. He lives in the Western part of Hamel."

"Add?"

Ara tilted her head in confusion as Aisha continued to talked about an unfamiliar man.

"I don't know much about him either. I just know he created various antidotes and curing demons doesn't sound like a problem to him."

For months, Ara resided in Aisha's residence as she taught Ara information regarding Dark El and how it contributed to the Demons. Aisha in the other hand, believes in Ara that she can cure this world from the overgrowing demonic powers, and hopes Fluone will be peaceful once again. As Ara was taught by Aisha, the first impression she judged of Aisha was quickly melted away, as the grumpy and annoyed girl was actually a sweetheart.

Ara realized just being near a Dark El itself is highly dangerous. The Dark El has the power to swallow the living soul out of your body; while your body remains physically human, the soul is eaten alive by the demons trapped within the Dark El.

Features such as change of hair color and skin color, black horns and tails being grown on body, claws replacing the nails, etc. are physically illustrated.

Demons have the will to eat a human in order to gain more power, but their primary goal is to kill them all.

The only way to actually kill a demon is to strike their heart. Unfortunately, there is no way to purify the demonic soul and return the humanistic soul back into the body.

However, Ara was dedicated to cure her brother. 'I will find out how'- She would murmur to herself everyday until it was time for her to leave Aisha- to meet the scientist named Add that can purify her brother.

"Remember, there will be a village on the West and all of the buildings are painted white. Ask people in the village about Add's location, and they'll answer in a heartbeat."

"Thanks, Aisha."

She hugged Aisha as a farewell action. The lessons and information Aisha has taught Ara will be a tremendous help with her journey.

* * *

 **A/N**

Thank you so much for reading! Please read and review and don't forget to follow/favorite!


	3. III

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **Time and Fallen Leaves Piano Cover - Akdong Musician | REYNAH**  
 _REYNAH is the YouTuber that uploaded the video. Enjoy while reading :)_

* * *

 **III.**

Restlessly, Ara fastened her pace when she saw the view of tall white buildings in the distance. Grass and leaves flew behind her legs as the thought of her brother being corrupted reflected back into her mind as her heart started to pound viciously. Her adrenaline was pumping as the pressure of her blood streamed through her veins. Tall trees flew by as she continued her descent.

"Oh… oh my god, move out!"

Ara shouted when she glimpsed a tall, fair-haired male garnishing a pale coat come in to view. Due to running downhill, it was difficult for her to stop herself in time, so she decided to scream out a warning instead. Contrasting the female's warning, the young male slowly looked towards her as Ara let out a gasp, a fleeting, 'Oh no...;' passing through her mind.

In the blink of an eye, Ara slammed right into him, the two collapsing into a fit of dirt and dust. Regaining her senses, Ara quickly got up and offered a hand to the victim of her running while apologising over and over again. The white-haired individual looked annoyed and to Ara's surprise, did not accept her offer. She slid her hand under her back as her face turned red due to embarrassment.

"This is a new coat…"He murmured under his breath, nonetheless, Ara could hear him very clearly.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't quite see you and I was running and.." Ara drifted off as she lifted her head up to see the young male.

He was much taller than her, perhaps around six feet tall. His silky silver-white hair was brushed nicely and he wore a neat, purple button up shirt inside his long white lab coat… that happened to be dirtied due their earlier encounter.

'Lab coat…?' Ara thought to herself, and instantly she shouted out, "Are you a scientist?!"

The male glanced up at Ara as he brushed the dirt collected on his coat answering with an agitated tone, "Yeah". However, Ara didn't catch it and instead, continued with another question.

"Do you happen to know a scientist named Add here?" The Devanam asked, and he gave her a look that held a hint of displeasure.

"I'm Add."

He said bluntly leaving Ara to gape in shock. She imagined a much older man, not a teenage boy. Her jaws dropped open due to surprisement as Add decided take his leave.

However as he turned, Ara grabbed his wrist, "Wait! I need to talk to you!"

Add, once again, irritated at Ara's behavior, rolled his eyes and turned around, leaving Ara to stop nervously.

"What?" His voice came out harsh as he pulled his hand back, eyes narrowing dangerously.

Ara paused, debating where or not to tell him her entire story when they had just bumped into one another.

"Wait- what's that inside of you?" To Ara's surprisement, the scientist grabbed Ara by her arms and pulled her closer. Ara felt the blood rushing to her face as her cheeks turned red due to sudden enclosement between the two.

"Um… yes?" Ara asked dumbly as he inspected her eyes carefully.

"Inside your soul… what is that creature?" He asked, almost as if it was a whisper. Ara tilted her head from confusement.

 _Ara, I believe he's speaking about me._

'Eun?' Ara thought to herself as Add continued to gaze at her eyes with a disturbingly, dangerous kind of lust.

 _This man is dangerous, step back!_

Add released his hold on the Sakra Devanam's arm gently, "I've taken a kind of interest in you." Puzzled, Ara stepped back hesitantly as the male gave her a playful smirk and continued, "What do you need to talk about?" Concerned with his sudden friendliness, Ara took another step back. Why was he suddenly so interested in her problem, after just brushing her off coldly earlier?

"I...um…" As Ara struggled to start the conversation about her corrupted brother, Add waited patiently.

Ara swallowed dryly before asking, "My brother's been corrupted by Dark El by the Demons and I wanted to know if you knew how to cure him!"

The Devanam spurted out the words quickly; gradually lifting her face to see the reaction of the scientist. Nonetheless, he gazed at her with an empty stare; no emotions showing through his cold amethyst eyes.

"So.. you want me to create an antidote to purify your brother?"

Ara nodded with care as Add lifted up his eyebrows while giving an arrogant smirk.

"Then what do I get in return?"

Ara hesitated for a moment; although asking for an invention of an antidote to purify corrupted demonic power was a tremendous experiment for scientists to perform, she hasn't clearly thought of her payment. Money wasn't clearly the answer to this- she've just left the village, almost empty handed and she already made spendings on various necessities while travelling. She wasn't highly valuable either- she was just an ordinary soldier in the Northern Empire.

"Wh..what do you want for a return?"

She asked the scientist cautiously. Add crossed his arms with one another as he thought of an answer, despite already knowing what he wanted.

"The creature. Inside of you." Add said as he continued to gaze at her with his arrogant eyes while pointing to her forehead.

 _Ara, no. You can't do this, Ara. Just back off, he's not an ordinary scientist!_

'Eun? He wants Eun?' Ara thought to herself with confusement. Ara certainly did not wanted to give up Eun, but purifying her brother as well as other corrupted humans was a big deal, which she will have to sacrifice one of her valuable items to equalize the exchange.

As Ara continued to blankly stare at the ground as she reflected back to Add's offer, Add continued, "I'll give you a day to think about it."

Ara gazed up to the scientist with surprising filled in her eyes. Ignoring her gaze, Add turned around as he waved at Ara as a farewell sign, "I'll be inside a building with mauve roof- tell me your answer there."

Without any other words, Add left the forest as Ara stared at the back of his body in disbelief.

* * *

 **A/N**

Thank you guys for reading this chapter! Don't forget to R&R !

Spirify and I decided to post our stories on Tumblr, too!  
We will be posting the stories we are working on currently along with Tainted, and in my opinion, the stories are much easier to read on Tumblr!  
Please leave us a visit :) The URL is **Spirify . tumblr . com** (Without spaces)


	4. IV

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **Goong OST : "Ice Pond" Piano cover - 2nd Moon | REYNAH**  
 _REYNAH is the Youtuber that uploaded the video. Enjoy while reading :)_

* * *

 **IV.**

Ara sat quietly among the roots of a grand tree, watching as the leaves flutter down around her. Today was the day that Add required an answer but here she was, still thinking about it. She only had an hour left before their agreed meeting time. The Devanam and Eun had gotten into an angry argument resulting in Eun completely ignoring Ara. Aren was precious to her and the fact that he was still out there hurt and corrupted, pained her deep inside. She wanted him back as her dear brother badly. But what about Eun? Eun was there from the beginning of her life, giving wise advice and helping her in her martial arts and spear techniques. Even if the fox was known to be a sly spirit, Ara deeply treasured her bond with Eun. Losing Eun would hurt her mentally and physically, as she would lose some of her abilities.

"Eun?" She questioned quietly.

There was no response, only the whispers of the wind. Ara let out a sad sigh. How much more could she take? Would she give up Eun selfishly for her own desires? The sight of her brother smiling from a distant memory appeared, almost mocking her.

"What do I do…? What decision do I make…?"

Ara asked a loud, her voice coming out soft and broken. She gazed upwards at the leaves, watching as they shook from the breeze. Sunlight filtered through making it seem like heaven was just beyond it.

 _Ara._

'Eun?!'

 _I... have decided on a decision that would both benefit us._

'What? What decision..?"

 _You may give me up to the scientist Add, however on one condition. I will take over that boy's body and make it as mine. I have never been able to do that to you due to the markings on your spear which protect you from my control. But despite that for these past years… I have grown quite fond of you. I didn't mind being trapped inside of you as a spirit. But now, it seems that will all change…_

'Eun…'

 _If I am successful in gaining control, I wish to still be a part of you life, Ara._

'Eun… Are you sure about this?' Ara felt the tears beginning to bubble up in her eyes.

 _Yes._

With that answer, the tears began streaming down the Devanam's face. Her cheeks flushed a light pink as she wiped them hastily. She sniffled softly, giving a small nod before taking a deep breath.

'I'll promise you this Eun. If he tries to do anything to harm you, I'll stop him no matter what!'

 _Thank you._

* * *

Ara let out a bitter sigh as she held onto the doorknob of the scientist's residence. Her mind was still indecisive and her grip tightened. Was this really the right answer?

 _Go on. Give your answer to him._

'I'm not going to regret this', Ara told Eun as she slowly opened the door. However the view that came after left her mouth gaping.

"Huh..?"

Add was also taken aback, his amethyst eyes wide when he saw Ara gazing at him consuming his favorite snack, chocolate. Realizing the situation, he quickly finished the bite off the chocolate he took before welcoming her.

"Look who's here. So, what's your final answer?" He asked with a sly smile as he turned his chair to face her.

Ara swallowed dryly, taking a good look around his home. It was pretty well lit, the walls painted a pristine white with marble tiles to contrast it. He was seated pretty far away from the door, papers and mechanics scattered across his desk. Other lab equipments were placed in a neat fashion around as well, each holding harboring some type of chemical. Add tilted his head as he ushered her over. The Sakra Devanam entered, closing the door lightly behind her. She took a few steps toward him. The Mastermind looked her up and down before glancing at her apricot eyes. Just when Ara parted her lips to reply to the scientist, he acknowledged one of her changed features.

"Did you cry?"

"What?" Ara asked, startled by his question.

'Yes, I did.' She thought to herself as she looked at him in stunned silence.

"I don't know, your eyes are puffy. So, what's your answer?" The Mastermind heartlessly skipped over the subject and continued on. Ara was quite angered yet embarrassed by the fact that she spent her entire night and morning worrying about the exchange, while he seemed to not give a single care in the world.

"I accept your offer." Ara stated firmly as Add observed her with amazement in his eyes.

"Brave." He said, as he walked over to the lab table. He took another bite of his chocolate and gulped it down swiftly.

"Here's the plan."

Add said as he flipped over the bangs covering the side of his face back towards his ear. With the sudden shift in his voice going from arrogant to serious, Ara was left dumbfounded but still, she listened.

"After I make the antidote, we'll head to Lanox to test it out on others who have been corrupted by Dark El as well. If the plan is successful, you'll hand over the creature inside of you."

"His name is Eun." Ara acknowledged as Add stared at her with one of his eyebrows lifted up.

"Okay, Eun. Anyway, when I take the spirit from you, you can go find your brother, or whoever, and give him the antidote."

"You're not going to find my brother with me?"

Ara questioned bafflingly. After a year of travelling, she was still unable to find a single clue about her brother. Searching for one person in the entire Fluone Continent would be a pain and she was hoping the scientist would come with her.

"Look, I'm not a little adventurer that would help you find your brother. I'm a scientist. The deal was to exchange the antidote and the creature. That's it."

The Mastermind crossed his hands as a sign of disagreement. A deal is a deal. Ara nodded with slight disappointment. Suddenly a question flowed into the Devanam's head.

"But do you know how to take Eun out of my body?"

Ara asked carefully. Add glimpsed over his shoulder with a blank expression.

"Yeah, first I drink this chemical."

Ara nodded along as she listened carefully to the scientist who muttered out the plan simply.

"And then we kiss."

* * *

 **A/N**

We apologize for the short chapter, but thank you for reading :)  
Please leave us a review if you enjoyed this chapter !

Spirify and I decided to post our stories on Tumblr, too!  
We will be posting the stories we are currently working on currently along with Tainted, and in my opinion, the stories are much easier to read on Tumblr!  
Please leave us a visit :) The URL is **spirify . tumblr . com** (Without spaces)


	5. V

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **YoonMiRae - Always [Descendants of the Sun OST] Piano Cover | Piano Boy**  
 _Piano Boy was the YouTuber that uploaded the video. Enjoy while reading :)_

* * *

 **V.**

"What?!" Ara questioned the Mastermind loudly in disbelief while Eun decided to make a flirty, whistling noise.

 _Ohohoho.. Get him Ara._

'Eun, be quiet! This is a big deal for me!'

While Ara was communicating with Eun inside her mind as she turned bright red due to embarrassment, Add observed her behavior cautiously then he questioned the Devanam, "Are you talking to that creature?" Ara glanced over at Add, who stared at her with amusement filled in his eyes as he was giving her another playful smirk. Ara nodded her head carefully as Add gave her another impressed look.

"That's pretty cool." He said, acknowledging Ara's close relationship with the fox inside of her as he continued, "I've never seen a case with my own eyes like that- a spirit inside of someone's body."

"Then.. if you don't mind me asking, why are you so interested in Eun?" Ara asked the scientist with caution in her voice. The scientist did not hesitated to answer Ara as he simply added, "Because why not." He added a chuckle along with his simple statement. Ara let out a laugh as well at the Mastermind's joke.

After couple of minutes, awkwardness was lingering in the air as Ara scratched the back of her head, trying to come up with a conversation to break the silence. Nonetheless, the scientist was highly concentrated on pouring an unknown substance into a beaker filled with another unknown chemical.

Add rested the back of his head on the headrest of the chair and as he shifted his vision, he realized Ara was standing there, nervously smiling.

"I thought you left..?"

Add said with confusement filled in his voice. "I mean, I wasn't even sure if you were going to agree with me, so I was going to start tomorrow."

Ara stared at dumbfoundedly. She hesitated, but continued on with the issue,

"I.. actually, don't have a place.. So I was wondering if…"

Ara drifted off as a drop of sweat rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the scientist with carefulness.

Add stared at her blankly as if he's stunned at Ara's innocent request. Ara continued to stare at him with embarrassment rising within her throat, since this was a request that she wishes it wouldn't be rejected.

"Um, yeah sure. I have a guest room."

Add scratched the back of his head as he seemed hesitant but decided to accept Ara's request as he pointed towards the door led by stairs.

"Thank you!" Ara acknowledged at the scientist's sudden kindness as she happily hopped towards the guest room Add just pointed. As Ara left Add's workplace, he sat in his chair as he stared blankly as he took another bite of his chocolate.

* * *

Ara pulled her blanket closer as she let out a sigh. Thinking about the progress she made for a year in order to purify her brother seemed as if no progress was made. She thought about how she cooperated with Aisha- and the thought of Aisha made her even more depressing- she missed the little dark mage. She compared the Void Princess with the scientist she just met and even though they both experiment with elements Ara has no clue about, they're completely different.

Ara shifted to her side and curled up while hugging up the blanket closer to her body and closed her eyes. As she thought about the plans she will be experiencing with Add while thinking about her brother being purified from the demons drifted her off to sleep.

* * *

Ara slowly opened her eyes with the help of birds singing outside of her window. She pushed the blanket off of her body and placed her two pale feet on the wooden floor. As she stretched and yawned, she opened the door that leads to the main room of Add's residence, also known as Add's laboratory. She glanced around carefully as she walked around the lab to inspect the sight of the scientist. Just then, she caught a glimpse of fair-white hair on the lab table. Add was sleeping in his chair as he crossed his arms on top of the lab table as his head was resting on top of it.

Ara stared at the male as he breathed gently. She slightly felt pity for the scientist; while Ara was freely offered a warm bed, there was no bed in sight for the scientist due to the fact he experiments with dangerous, harsh chemicals overnight.

She realized his eyes started to flinch as his long bangs were poking it. Ara carefully moved his bangs away from his face with caution to not wake the scientist up. His long eyelashes started to twitch as he suddenly opened his eyes.

Ara gaped in shock of being found while staring at the Mastermind who was peacefully sleeping. "I..I didn't.." words didn't slip out of the Devanam's tiny lips as she stammered to find an excuse. Add suddenly grabbed her wrist as he asked Ara with harsh tone, "What are you doing."

* * *

 **A/N**

The next chapter is written by Spirify so please look forward to it!  
Thank you for reading and please leave a review :)

 **TUMBLR  
** We also post this story on our blog as well!  
Please check out our site :)  
 **SPIRIFY. TUMBLR. COM**


	6. VI

.

 **Tainted  
** _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **Mabinogi Soundtrack - Nao's Theme - The Story of a White Deer | MabinogiSoundtrack** _  
MabinogiSoundtrack is the YouTuber that uploaded the video. Enjoy while reading :)_

* * *

 **VI.**

"I-! Er… I was uh… I was trying to wake you up!" Ara stammered out quickly, taking a step back as she let out a nervous smile.

Add narrowed his eyes in response and sat up, straightening his back without removing his hand from her wrist. The Devanam could practically feel his magenta eyes burning into her own as she couldn't find the right moment to look away. The scientist stared for a few minutes longer before letting out a disinterested sigh. He released her wrist and turned away, rubbing his temples as he glanced over at the paperwork on his desk.

"Um…" Ara began quietly, almost letting out a squeak when he turned back with a small scowl, "Um… er… breakfast…?"

The male let out another exasperated sigh, waving his hand to another door across the room. He stood up from his chair, brushing a hand through his hair. Without another word, he walked towards the corridor leading to the bathroom. As the Devanam heard the click of the lock and the water being turned on, she redirected her attention toward the door Add had waved towards earlier. She shuffled her way there, grabbing the smooth handle before turning it and entering. It was a small kitchen, the stove in the center while wrapping around it was the refrigerator, sink, and several cabinets.

"I guess… I'll just make breakfast for the two of us," With a hum, she opened the fridge, grabbing a small carton of eggs.

After placing it on an open space on top of the table, she quickly rummaged through the cabinets, trying to find a pan. A triumph smile spread across her face as she grasped the handle of a particularly nice one. She frowned at the small dust particles lying on top of it, placing it in the sink and grabbing some soap.

'Guess he doesn't cook often…' She thought to herself silently, washing off the bubbles before drying the pan.

After the pan was nicely cleaned, she placed it on top of the stove, turning it on and waiting for it to heat up. Next, she searched for bread, finding a loaf momentarily after searching through a few more cabinets. She placed two pieces in a toaster and checked the pan. Deeming it hot enough, she grabbed some oil lying over near the stove and poured a little in. Next, she expertly cracked two eggs, watching as they sizzled after making contact with the oil.

Ding!

Her attention flitted towards the toaster, two toasted breads popping up. Gazing around, she looked at the cabinet just above the fridge before walking over and pulling it open. Inside were several similar white bowls , plates, and cups. Ara grabbed two plates and cups before closing it. She placed a toast on each and reached back over to the eggs with a spatula. As she finished cooking, she slid them into the plate as well. Just as she finished, she felt cool droplets of water fall onto her shoulders. Glancing behind, the Devanam let out a squeak at Add, whose face was a mere few inches away from her own. She quickly realized that the droplets were from his wet hair.

"Eggs and toast, huh?" He asked while he brushed through his wet hair with a towel.

"Oh... Oh! Yes!" Ara affirmed, turning back around as her face flushed a light pink.

The male pulled back with an amused smirk, allowing a sigh to escape Ara's mouth. He grabbed the cups before opening the fridge.

"What do you want to drink?" The scientist asked. Her cheeks still stained with a light hue of pink, Ara turned around at the male as he pulled out cartons of milk and juice.

"I mean, unless you're up for some beer in the morning…" Add grinned playfully as he continued to dig into his fridge.

"No- no thanks! I'll take milk, thank you." Ara pouted a little, watching as he let out a chuckle.

After the drinks were poured, both taking milk as their chosen drink, the two soon enough were facing each other as they consumed their breakfast. Add had chosen a small wooden table near the window within the main room, a white table cloth neatly placed over it. The Devanam ate in awkwardness, unable to find a way to start a light conversation. She glanced up at Add, who stared disinterestedly out the window while chewing on his toast. For the first time, she had a good look at him, taking note of his slightly wet hair and fuchsia orbs. Without taking into account his cold and aloof personality, Ara could see that he was rather handsome. While she continued to stare quietly, suddenly, Add turned to look at her. With an embarrassed gasp she tried turning away however instead, knocked her cup of milk off the table.

"S-sorry, I'll clean it up!" The Devanam said as she swiftly stood up, her face now turning a light rose color. As she made her way back towards the kitchen, she could hear him quietly murmur.

"You don't have to apologize for that…"

"What?" Ara questioned, stunned. Add ignored her and picked up his cup, taking a light sip. Despite her question, the spear-maiden had heard him clearly and turned back around, her cheeks flushing an even darker hue.

* * *

"Come on, kid." The scientist muttered as he opened his front door. He squinched his eyes as the bright rays of sunshine blinded his vision for a second. Pouting, the Devanam corrected Add. "It's Ara."

Add turned around to face Ara with one of his eyebrows raised up. Ara gulped her sudden rudeness as she continued, "My name is Ara Haan. Please call me Ara." The scientist shrugged and continued, "Okay, Ara. We're going to the forest to find plants for your antidote." He said with a voidness, however, Ara was beyond excited to start an embark to purify her brother.

Soon enough, they reached a forest with various plants found on the trunks of the tree. She glimpsed a navy colored berry. She crouched down next to her newly found berry and excitedly said to the scientist, "How about a berry for dessert?" She said with an extreme smile painted across her face.

Add turned around and glimpsed Ara about to consume the navy colored berry. He scrunched his face and headed towards the Devanam and grabbed her hands that was holding onto the unknown berry.

"Stop- that berry's filled with poison." The scientist said with worriness yet anger filled in his shaky voice. Ara glanced at him with shock filled in her tone. She quickly apologized with a silent tone and followed the scientist with sudden embarrassment yet guiltiness overwhelming her as she annoyed Add once again.

She lifted her head up to glance at the back of the scientist that was walking ahead of her. She thought to herself as she judged his physical appearance,

 _He may be a scientist… but he has a large back like a warrior. Does he battle?_

Sudden thought of the breakfast they shared earlier pounded on the walls of her mind. She quickly blushed at the thought of residing in a mysterious man's house and sharing breakfast with him. It was almost as if they were married. She felt the sensation of discomfort yet happiness.

* * *

 **A/N**

We kind of gave up on who writes each chapter, so we decided to write/edit chapters together, lol.  
This is honestly my favorite chapter/iReii ― I just love the way Add glances over Ara's shoulder and  
they just end up casually eating breakfast together. XD

 **TUMBLR  
** We also post this story on our blog as well!  
Please check out our site :)  
 **SPIRIFY. TUMBLR. COM**


	7. VII

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

 **VII.**

The male crouched down as he pulled out unknown plants from the dirt, then he quickly stood up and walked ahead of Ara. The Devanam fastened her pace to walk next to the scientist, who didn't seem to care. She hesitatingly asked,

"Um.. may I know what kind of plant this is?" Add stared at her with his usual voidness within his eyes as he answered, "It's type of a plant that contains odor Demon's don't like." Ara was quite surprised by his sudden kindness, she thought he would say, "You wouldn't understand." and ignore the female. Ara nodded her head as a sign of acknowledgement.

For about an hour, the two collected three different types of plants that would be beneficial in creation of the antidote. Both of their hands were filled with plants to the point they couldn't carry anymore.

"Let's go home." The scientist said as Ara happily acknowledged him. She was quite surprised by the fact that the scientist said 'home' as it felt like he accepted her as a housemate.

With her hands tied together behind her waist, the Devanam smiled at the scientist as she asked, "Shall I cook dinner again?" She stared at Add as she waited for the reply, but instead of an answer, the scientist pushed Ara back with his arm and silenced her.

* * *

BGM **BLEACH OST - Fade To Black B13a Extended  
**

* * *

"There's demons here." Add whispered to the female as he placed his pointer finger onto his lips. With surprisement, she quietly looked around in order to search for creatures, however, the two didn't have the sharp visions to find the monsters right away.

As Ara pulled her spear from a little loop glued to her belt, a sudden screech attacked the Mastermind and the Devanam.

"Back off!" Ara yelled to the unarmed scientist as she pulled her spear in front of her for protection. From the corner of her eye, she caught six mechanized weapons forming around the Devanam and the scientist, creating a ring of protection.

"Wh-what is this?" Ara asked as Add quickly responded. "Dynamos." Another screech came roaring behind them as they quickly turned around to face the demonic screech. A succubus lunged towards the two as they fixed the position of their weapons.

Ara pushed the scientist behind her, spinning her spear in front of her protectively. She quickly blocked the succubus, twisting her spear and stabbing the demon straight through the heart. Suddenly, her survival instincts kicked in and soon enough she was whirling around, her weapon elegantly decapitating the female. Her apricot eyes glanced sharply around the area, taking note that several other demons were appearing. Without sparing a second, she charged forward, her weapon pulled back before she thrusted it forward, hitting two demons in a row before she ruthlessly tore her lance back. With another strike, she hit them both perfectly at the heart. As she fought, she glimpsed over to Add, whose dynamos were blasting powerful purple lasers, each hitting a demon accurately at the heart.

 _There is only a few left, Ara. Let's finish this with the Secret Arts._

Obeying, the Devanam came to a halt, closing her eyes and wrapping Eun's energy around her body. She let out a slow sigh before pulling her spear back. With a sudden burst of speed, she pierced forward, sending a shock wave outwards. After that, she activated the Eight Trigram Palm attack, her spear plunging forward in a series of attacks leaving behind an orange hue. She was able to push back most of the demons coming at her before she jumped, slamming her spear down and creating a powerful force that allowed the ground to erupt up in pieces, sending any victims nearby into the air. Before she could let out a triumph smile, her mind came to a sudden realization. Add was in the area.

"Oh my god! Add?! Add, where are you?!" Ara shouted, looking around at the corpses of the monsters that littered the area.

Due to her powerful attack earlier, the ground was tilted and several pieces of the Earth stood up in funky shapes. Trees were pulled out and laid randomly across the ground. She whipped her head around viciously, trying to find the fair-haired male.

"Ugh…" As soon as she heard a low groan, the Devanam turned to find the source.

Upon further inspection, she could see a sprawl of white hair a few feet away from her and she dashed over.

"Add…!" She cried out, gazing over at a large gash on his stomach, bleeding profusely.

The scientist opened his eyes, glaring at her as he tried to sit up, his dynamos trying to help him as best as they could.

"Oh my… No! Don't sit up, you're hurt!" Ara gently pushed him down, taking her long robe off which left her in her tank top, before she pressed it against his wound to stop the bleeding.

"And who's fault do you think that is?" The Mastermind muttered, lying down and wincing in slight pain at her action.

For a moment, the spear-maiden went silent, her eyes narrowing with guilt. As the bleeding came to a stop, she tied her robe around his stomach as a temporary gauze.

"I'm sorry… But for now, we need to get you back to your home and treat you,"

"I'm fine." The scientist heartlessly said, nonetheless, Ara ignored the scientist's words and wrapped his arm around her neck. "What are you-" The Mastermind questioned Ara's action, but realized it was hopeless to deny her offer.

* * *

BGM **[DEEMO] V.K. - Pure White Extended**

* * *

Soon enough, they reached the residence of the scientist. Ara gently helped Add slump down on a chair who silently groaned in pain. Ara digged through multiple cabinets in order to find dressings and bandages. After couple minutes, she realized it was hopeless. Bravely, the Devanam questioned the scientist,

"Where are the bandages?"

"I said I'm fin-"

"No you are not! Please let me help you." Desperately yet angrily at Add's behavior filled with ignorance, she yelled at him even though she knew it was disrespectful. Add decided to give up as he pointed towards the cabinet Ara haven't touched yet.

Ara swiftly walked towards the cabinet, opened it wide and grabbed bandages and dressings. She walked over to the scientists who was still gushing out blood. She hesitated, but it was something that must be done. She took off the robe she wrapped around the scientist's abdomen and unbuttoned the scientist's button up as she could feel the heat rising up to her face. For a moment, she was surprised to see that Add is actually toned, but she brushed the side thought away as she placed a dressing on his wound and wrapped it around his waist.

"Done." Ara said as she stood up. The Mastermind buttoned up his shirt as he said to Ara who was surprised at his sudden thoughtful action, "Thanks, Ara."

* * *

On a vast night sky, stars were sparkling in between the leaves of a tree as they glistened under the moonlight. Ara stared at the moonlight as it reached her window glass. She slumped down on top of her bed, sighing as she let herself to be sunk on her comfortable bed. Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink color as the thought of Add constantly appeared onto her mind. His silky white hair, his lavender eyes, his collar pones that peek out from his button-up, his toned body, veins that pop out of his hands and wrist- everything about the scientist was within Ara's mind.

'Why, but why?' She thought to herself. She never felt a sensation like this. 'I need a fresh air _.'_ Ara thought to herself as she slowly walked towards her bedroom door. She slightly cracked an opening as she peeked her head out to search for any signs of the fair-white hair. Surprisingly, he was nowhere in sight. Ara was slightly glad that he wasn't here due to the fact that she won't expect what kind of embarrassing reaction she will demonstrate to the scientist once again.

The Devanam cracked another door open as she walked outside. The air was frosty as Ara shivered due to sudden coldness. Ara breathed out puffs of air as she leaned herself against the wall. As the cold wind breezed lightly past Ara, she felt her mind clearing as she sighed of relief. When she was about to go back inside the house, the front entrance glued to fences surrounding the residence opened and the scientist walked in. Sudden burst of her mind she just cleared came rushing back to her brain as she felt herself blush.

She examined the Mastermind. It seemed as if he was going out for a short walk to clear his mind as well, however, there was a physical feature that was fairly new. His eyes that contained nothing but voidness was filled with concern as his dark circles under his eyes shadowed the stress he's been obtaining. His broad shoulders were slumped as well. Then Ara noticed his hands- he was holding onto more plants that they searched together hours ago.

"Why-why are you holding onto those? Did you go and find some more by yourself in middle of the night?" Questions came spurting out of the Devanam's petite lips with a tone filled with nothing but worry and concern. The scientist sighed as he blankly stared at Ara. "Yeah." The scientist quietly said to the Devanam with his usual tone frosted by coldness as he entered his resident.

"But why? You're injured, you shouldn't be outside!" Ara asked with concern while following the scientist inside the house, even though she knew her questions were an annoyance to the male.

"You saw the forest! There was whole bunch of them! I need to make the antidote as fast as I can before everyone decides to become a demon." The scientist said, with anger filled in his voice. Ara took a step back due to sudden anger from the scientist that was unfamiliar to her. However, he was right. The demons have already multiplied its population in a short amount of time.

The Devanam's heart stung with pain due to sudden guiltiness she felt. He was out there in a dangerous zone in middle of the night, vulnerable by himself, trying to accomplish a journey that wasn't even his. Yet Ara was just concerned about relationship she shared with the scientist.

"You're right.. I'm sorry." Ara quietly apologized to the scientist as she followed Add. He placed his plants next to beakers on top of his table as he was brushing the dirt collected onto his hands with a handkerchief. Then the scientist placed his hands on top of the Devanam's head. She glanced up to match his lavender eyes that contained no emotions, she felt the heat rising up to her cheeks once again as they matched their eyes. "Go to sleep, you must be tired." The scientist quietly said as he walked away into another room.

'But what about yourself?' Ara thought to herself. Why was he worrying about her when he's the one with features that resembled tiredness? She felt the same sensation she felt earlier while thinking about the Mastermind rushing back to her senses once again. Realizing the senses she's been feeling, she thought to herself as she touched her heated face,

'Oh god.. I'm in love with Add.'

* * *

 **A/N**

Finally romance starts to sprout out of this story, took us a while but here it is, at last!  
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and as always, thank you for reading. :)  
Please don't forget to R&R as it will be beneficial to us!

 **TUMBLR  
** We also post this story on our blog as well!  
Please check out our site :)  
 **SPIRIFY. TUMBLR. COM**


	8. VIII

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **[Piano Music] Red Wave - B.O | B.O Piano**

* * *

 **VIII.**

A month have passed already and Ara came to her senses that the feelings she felt towards the scientist is a serious matter for her.  
Every inch he moves, every action he demonstrates, the Devanam reacts to it.

"Ara, can you hold this beaker for a second?" The Mastermind would ask Ara emotionlessly, but the fact that he acknowledges her by her name and actually thinks of her as his assistant was enough for the female. Ara walked toward the lab table and held the beaker tightly with her two petite hands. Inside the beaker was an unknown chemical that has scent of a familiar herb. "Ah- this was the plant we picked up on the day succubuses invaded us, right?" She asked the scientist with excitement filled in her tone. Add stared at her with a smile across his face, impressed by her knowledge. "Yeah, nice job." His compliment made Ara's heart flutter as her hands began to sweat.

To her surprise, Add suddenly grabbed her by her shoulder and reached across another beaker that was placed on the other side of the table. Ara felt his breath behind her neck as she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. "Excuse me." The scientist would say under his breath as he reached for the beaker. Ara squinted her eyes in order to make this nervousness fade away, but it was no use.

She loved him, but he did not love her back. However, Ara did not mind. As long as she was next to him and that he was next to her, if only she can see him every moment they shared together, that was enough for the Devanam. She didn't have the greed to ask for more love.

"Bam, done." Add said with pride filled in his husky voice as he made an exploding hand movements with his slender fingers. Ara opened her eyes and glanced over to the scientist, then moved her gaze towards the dark-blood colored chemical inside a beaker. Ara smiled with excitement painted across her face.

"We have to go test it out on corrupted humans in Lanox, first. We're leaving first thing tomorrow, so be prepared." The Mastermind said with a arrogant smirk across his face as he stared at Ara's apricot eyes. Her face blushed at the thought of their eyes matching- in a silent laboratory but she quickly brushed her one sided love thought away and nodded with enthusiasm.

After seeing Ara's respond, Add smiled and walked towards his bedroom in order to take a rest. As soon as he closed his bedroom door, Ara placed both of her hands on the corner of the lab table with her back resting on the edge. She sighed a relief as her nervousness faded away along with the scientist.

 _You must really love that boy._ Eun said quietly to the Devanam. She sighed again and smiled- with the thought of Add fluttering back into her mind. 'Yes, I do.' She responded. As she lifted her slender fingers from the lab table, she felt a cold glass on the tip of her finger. Soon as she was about to glance over- Clank!

Ara gaped in shock as she stared down at the beaker that crashed upon the ground and broke. The chemicals that was within the beaker was splattered all over the cold marble floor. 'T..this is the antidote! I knocked over the antidote!' The Devanam thought to herself as she panicked, her palms starting to sweat once again as tears were bubbling in her apricot eyes, ready to drop any second.

Just before she squatted down to pick up the glass, a door bursted open as Add walked back inside the room. There was shock filled in his lavender eyes- which matched the coral eyes of the Devanam. Her eyes were blurred due to tears rolling recklessly down her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry, Add! It was an accident, I'll clean up right away!" Ara quickly apologized to Add. She did not want to see the scientist making the shocked face ever again, therefore she swiftly picked up the glass to clean up the mass. She didn't even realize that her slender, pale fingers were bleeding due to impalement of the sharp glass she was recklessly picking up.

"Ara, stop, it's fine. You're hurting yourself." To her bewilderment, as soon as she glanced up, Add was holding onto her bleeding hands, while squatting down and starting into the Devanam's apricot eyes with nothing but worry filled in his violet eyes. His hands, too, were bleeding due to glasses that were impaled into Ara's hands which was embracing the scientist's hands as well.

Even though she did not want to admit it- it was a terrible thought to have at this moment- but she wished the time would stop right here. Him, gazing at Ara's eyes as they were holding onto each other's hands. The fact that he was worried about Ara's injuries, the fact that he ignored the antidote they've been working with all of their efforts poured in, the fact that Ara was more important- her heart was pounding onto the walls like crazy.

Much to her disappointment, the somewhat romantic mood did not last long. He quickly released her hands as he stood up, "I'll clean this, you go treat your injuries." Ara quickly realized her senses as she stood up, wiped her tears with back of her hands and walked towards the cabinet filled with first-aid supplies.

"Don't worry about it, Ara. The ingredients aren't hard to find." The scientist reassured the Ara whom remained silent, but her face flushed a rosy color from his kindness. Add picked the glasses up and dumped inside a trashcan as he took a tiny sample of the spilled chemical and placed inside a testing tube. He quickly wiped all the excess chemical with a clean cloth and placed that inside the trash can as well.

Add turned around, only to match the coral eyes of Ara that were still developing tears as it rolled down her cheek. Due to her nose being clogged up, she had to constantly catch her breath. Add chuckled at the sight of Ara- as she seemed like a little child who was crying.

'Oh god, he's walking toward me. He's looking at the embarrassing sight of myself.' Ara thought to herself. Soon enough, the scientist was standing right in front of Ara. He slowly grabbed her bandaged hands and asked with a quiet, yet with warmth within his tone, "You alright?" He glanced up at her eyes and for a second, Ara was lost at words.

 _Wh-what's happening to me?!_ Suddenly, Ara felt Eun inside her body, trying to free himself from an unknown source of item that was trapping him. Sudden pain ached Ara's heart. She released the scientist's warm embrace within their hands and placed her slender fingers on top of where her heart is located, in order to decrease the pain.

"Eun is hurt!" She said as she glanced up at the confused scientist. "W.. wait, what?" Add questioned Ara again, puzzled by her sudden reaction. Suddenly, he recognized that one of her eyes were a crimson color, while the other stayed apricot. He grabbed by her waist and aided her walk towards her bedroom. He flung up the door open with his foot and placed the Devanam on top of her bed carefully.

At that moment, Eun was calm once again and Ara's pain within her soul vanished. "I-I'm fine, now…." She said with a shaky voice that was filled with confusement. "You sure?" The scientist asked Ara, with the same look- nothing but concern in his eyes. She felt her entire body rising with heat as she nodded her head. Once again, Add petted Ara on top of her head as he stood up. "I don't know what's going on with you and your creature- but both of you should rest for today." Without another word, he walked out, softly closing the door behind him.

The top of her head, the place on her waist where he touched her- Ara felt extra amount of heat within the areas where they met. The Devanam spoke as she lay herself down on top of her bed,

"I..I'm greedy, Eun." She said softly with a voice that was still shaking. _What do you mean._ The sly fox responded, with a calm voice this time.

"I want him to love me back."

* * *

 **A/N**

We thank you guys for reading, please don't forget to R&R!

 **TUMBLR  
** We also post this story on our blog as well!  
Please check out our site :)  
 **SPIRIFY. TUMBLR. COM**


	9. IX

_._

 **Tainted _  
_** _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **[Sereno] Raindrop in Umbrella | SERENO**

* * *

 **IX.**

 _Ara, you're not going to see him after Aren has been purified. You must go back to the village once your journey is over._

Eun whispered to Ara, whose eyes were closed while her mind was focusing onto their conversation. Ara was aware of that fact, of course. Once the journey was over, the two would part their ways and continue on their living, back to how they were. But the fact that she won't be able to see the sight of the scientist suddenly ached her heart.

'I know…' Ara whispered back to the fox with a quiet voice filled with slight depression. She sighed as she slumped down onto her comfortable bed.  
'Maybe… if maybe, he can come to the Empire..?' The Devanam hesitatingly thought to herself, but quickly shook her head. 'There's no way he would accept that.'

* * *

In between the peaks of the mountain from far away, the sun was showering its rays of sunshine towards the white village. Ara squinted her eyes as the sunshine slightly burned the top of her eyelids, her long eyelashes elegantly fluttered and soon opened to meet the chill air of early morning. It was around five in the morning, judging from the color of the sky and the location of the sun. Ara stretched, and placed her foot gently on top of the wooden floor. She glanced over at the bag on the floor that was leaning against the wall near the door.

"Today's the day we leave for Lanox…" It was slightly saddening, the Devanam having already grown fond of the scientist's home. Within a week, the genius scientist already made more samples of the antidote, and in blink of an eye, the journey started.

She let out a wistful sigh, standing up and gently brushing through her silky hair with her slender fingers. She walked closer to the wooden door and turned the knob slowly. She peaked her head out and saw a glimpse of a familiar white-haired male. He was seated quietly on his chair, magenta eyes gazing out the window. Within his hands, he held a warm mug, probably coffee judging from its color. At the sound of the spear-maidens footsteps, he turned his head.

"Good morning," Ara smiled softly, stepping over to the scientist as she took a seat across from him.

"Morning," Add mumbled back, his eyes already peering back out the window.

"Breakfast?"

"Mm,"

The Devanam glanced out the window, taking in the beautiful greenery and village that stood just outside. She gradually stood up, walking towards the kitchen. A light breakfast would be enough. Just as she turned the knob to the kitchen, the male stood up and grabbed her shoulder lightly.

"I'll cook this time,"

* * *

The thought of Add cooking a breakfast for two, and sharing the same meal made her heart flutter with a sudden thought, 'It's almost as if we were married.' In addition, consuming a meal that Add had made for her was another special thought. Nonetheless, she quickly brushed the side thought away as she continued to consume the pancakes placed in front of her.

To her surprise, Add had already finished his breakfast as he stood up from the chair and grabbed the plates in front of him. He took a glance at the Devanam, who was staring back at him with flushed cheeks. The scientist did not think too much of her shy actions as he walked towards the sink to place the plates inside.

"I...I'll clean the dishes!" The Devanam yelled out to Add who was about to turned on the faucet of the sink. Ara stood up suddenly, pushing the chair away from the table with her palms faced down on the table. The Mastermind glimpsed back at the girl with bewilderment filled in his lavender eyes,

"Sure." He responded back, as he released his hands from the faucet and walked over to his room.

The Devanam sat back to her chair, with a sigh of relief escaping from her small lips. She gently slapped her flushed cheeks in order to calm the heat down, but it was no use.

* * *

The leaves crackled each time Ara took a step after a step as a chill breeze of the quiet forest welcomed Ara. Their journey to purify her brother starts off with visiting Lanox, and treating other corrupted mortals to test the effect of the antidote. The Mastermind claimed that there isn't any side effects, he seemed to be confident. Trusting his words, their adventure started.

Ara stared down at the ground, carefully stepping onto the forest ground filled with leaves, cautious for any tree branches lingering around, ready to trip her. She glanced up at the scientist, who was couple steps ahead of her. He walked without hesitation in a faster pace compared to Ara.

Soon enough, he was way ahead of the Devanam; Ara tried to catch up with the scientist, however there were too many branches in front of her that she had to carefully watch her step. She glanced up once again and to her surprise, Add had turned around and was staring at the Devanam.

"S-sorry, I'm kind of slow." She said, with nervousness filled in her voice. She continued to stare down at the ground, watching her step as he caught up with Add.

Another surprise, Add held out his hand towards Ara while blankly staring at her apricot eyes.

"Come on." He said with a cool tone in his husky voice. Ara felt her cheeks flushing but gladly accepted the warm hand of the scientist.

The two walked without a word, however awkwardness was not lingering in the air. It was somewhat romantic. The two adventurers holding onto each other's hand as Add led Ara on in the harsh roads of the forest. In between couple steps they took, a light conversation was going back and forth and before Ara realized, the sun was setting down and the stars were starting to bloom the night sky.

Add suddenly came to a halt as Ara tilted her head in confusion. He pounded the floor with his foot as he judged the softness of the dirt. "Let's rest here." He claimed as he released the once embraced hands, which was a slight disappointment to Ara.

Ara set her bag down and placed a blanket on top of the dirt while Add was starting a fire and soon enough, they have already consumed their packaged dinner. Ara glanced up as the warmth of the fire melted the tiredness away. In between the leaves and branches of trees, she realized stars were covering up the entire night sky- a beautiful night it was. She escalated her glance downwards and realized Add was sleeping already.

She examined the scientist silently; He was sitting down on top of a blanket he laid, with his body leaning against a giant tree and his head was slightly tilted in order to find balance during his sleep. He crossed his arms with one another while his lips were slightly parted.

 _Ara.. it's better to give up._

The Devanam flinched as her senses came back when the fox inside of her spoke quietly. In matter of fact, she have already taken note of that. She knows that Add doesn't love her back. She knows that they'll have to part their ways once their journey was over. She knows that he's not the right person for her. She knows that.

She sighed the sadness within her minds and slowly closed her eyes, letting herself drift off to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N**

An one sided love from Ara... ; u ; but since this is a romance fanfiction,  
it's obvious Add will love her back, XD  
Next chapter will be Add's Story, but it still will be labeled as chapter 10! 

Thank you guys for reading! Please review/favorite/follow :)


	10. X

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **[Fusion Music] Forest Bird -B.O | B.O Piano**

* * *

 **X.**

Birds chirped outside the window as they sang with one another― alarming Add it's a start of an another day. Nothing has changed within his routine, except the fact that he's residing with a Sakra Devanam. To this point, he still forgets the fact that he's living with a girl; whenever he goes out to the kitchen to drink a cup of water― she was always there.

Add, is one of the most skilled scientist in the entire Fluone Region. At a young age, he swept across various awards for his intelligence as well as developed antidotes that saved thousands of people. When he first was offered a fox sealed within someone's body, he was highly interested. Something he had never seen before, something he never tried experimenting with before; as a fair trade, creating an antidote to cure a corrupted human was no problem to the Mastermind.

His everyday routine started to change dramatically once the female entered his household. The scientist usually skipped breakfast― possibly lunch, to experiment with new chemicals. With only a chocolate bar next to his place, eating was not part of his routine. Nonetheless, everything changed when Ara walked into his life. Cooking breakfast with her clumsy skills, she got up earlier than him just to keep him well fed.

"Eggs and toast, huh?" He approached the female from the back as he glimpsed over her shoulder to take a look at whatever she was cooking.

"Oh... Oh! Yes!" She would respond with a flushed face which was an amusement to the scientist. Deciding to open up to her more, he grabbed two cups by the counter and asked with a playful tone, "What do you want to drink?"

Her cheeks were still stained with a pinkish tone. Wanting to play with her a bit more, he added, "I mean, unless you're up for some beer in the morning…" Add grinned playfully as he continued to dig into his fridge.

"No- no thanks! I'll take milk, thank you." The Devanam responded back with nervousness filled in her tone, which made Add chuckle under his breath.

'She's not so bad.'― he thought to himself.

* * *

"Come on, kid." Add said without a thought as he headed for the door, however, that was not the case according to Ara.

"It's Ara." She responded back to the scientist, who was slightly taken aback due to her sudden braveness. Ara continued, "Please call me Ara."

Even though he didn't wanted to admit it, Add was slightly impressed. 'So, she has this side of her as well.' He thought to himself as they wandered around the forest searching for the right plant.

"How about a berry for dessert?" The Devanam happily asked Add, who was ahead of her, gathering plants. He turned around, only to see the female ready to consume one of the most poisonous berries. He swiftly walked towards her and grabbed her wrist as the berry dropped to the ground.

He was quite surprised by his own actions― normally, Add was the type that wouldn't concern himself with others; expressing his emotions in a quick glance was the definition of Add.

Awkwardness was lingering in the air as the two crouched down to dig up plants for the antidote. It was fairly peaceful― only the sounds of birds singing and the leaves brushing against one another as they danced. However the peace was suddenly disturbed by feelings of uneasiness.

Add glanced around the forest, searching for any signs of unnatural events to suddenly pop out at him and Ara. It seems Ara was quite aware of the disturbing scent that lingered in the air as she glimpsed around as well.

"There's demons here." Add warned the Devanam as she swirled her spear around her body.

'Succubus,' he could tell by the demonic smell that lingered in the environment and by the habitats and actions succubus demonstrate. However, he wanted to challenge the Devanam. He knew she was a fighter― but is she a talented one, was his question.

He was becoming interested in the female.

"Eight Trigram Palm attack" She whispered underneath her breath as the ground before Add started to crumble.

'Is this… the power of Eun or herself?' He gave himself a curious thought that was swiftly brushed off as a bottom cast was suddenly thrown upon himself.

Fortunately, the scientist was quick enough to dodge the giant rock that was thrown, however, not quick enough to completely escape from its sharp edges. The edge of the rock brushed on Add's abdomen, causing a large scar to gush out blood.

"Add…!" He heard a faint cry from afar as he glanced up only to take a look at Ara's apricot eyes filled with nothing but concern.

"Oh my… No! Don't sit up, you're hurt!" As Add was trying to sit up, Ara gently pushed him down. She took off her robe and wrapped it around the wound while applying pressure.

"And who's fault do you think that is?" He asked, with a playful tone as he gave off a smirk, however his sly smile soon disappeared as he glanced up Ara, who was looking down due to guilt.

"I'm sorry… But for now, we need to get you back to your home and treat you," She replied quietly. Add suddenly felt sorry for the female; his wound wasn't so deep, he could function normally but that was not the case for Ara. Suddenly, the Devanam wrapped her arms around his neck as she forced him to stand up.

'What is this?' Add thought to himself as his heart started to pound furiously. His cheeks were becoming hot and his hands were sweating.

'Am I sick? Fever?' The scientist questioned his own body as the two walked towards their residence in silence, their arms embracing one another.

* * *

Soon enough, the two were back to his residence. Add let out a silent grunt as he slumped down to the chair and Ara searched around for anything that could cure the large scar placed on his abdomen.

"Where are the bandages?" She asked as she glanced around the room. Add glanced up, slight annoyance growing up to his throat as he spurted out,

"I said I'm fin-" He frowned his eyebrows with anger that was slowly increasing within his mind however, it was all released as Ara continued,

"No you are not! Please let me help you." She said with a desperate yet quiet plea as she clapped her hands together in hopes of treating the scientist.

'What's wrong with me…' Add thought to himself as he closed his eyes and pointed towards the cabinet that's filled with bandages and dressings.

Ara arrived within seconds, her hands holding a first-aid kit as she took the robe away and unbuttoned his shirt. Add chuckled on the inside as Ara blushed while wrapping his abdomen with bandages.

"Done." She said with triumph filled in her voice as she clapped her hands together. Add buttoned his shirt back up, and silently said underneath his breath, "Thanks Ara."

Add felt the sensation of heat rising to his ears once again, the same tingling feeling on every tip of his fingers, and his heart trying to pound out of his body.

'This isn't fever… what is this?'

* * *

Within a couple days after the Ara's-accidental-injury day, the two bonded quite fastly. Often, Add noticed Ara's unusual behaviors, such as fidgeting her body whenever she was near him, and her face would frequently be flushed with a rosy color.

On a silent night, while Ara was fast asleep, Add sat down on his chair, with only his desk light dimming up the vacant room. The antidote is finished and their journey starts tomorrow. The neat scientist has already packed his belongings and was more than ready, but his mind was directed towards another direction.

Ara showed unusual actions whenever she was near Add, and surprisingly, Add did the same whenever Ara was near him. The sweaty palms, flushed ear, heart pounding- nothing made sense to the scientist. It wasn't an illness, he was completely normal; it was just whenever Ara was next to him.

He let out a sigh as he slumped down his chair, with his head glancing up at the empty ceiling. It all made sense.

He was in love with Ara.

* * *

 **A/N**

This is the only chapter that's revolved around Add!  
Starting next chapter will be back to Ara, we apologize if we confused you.  
Thank you for reading and please review/follow/favorite! :)


	11. XI

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **Farewell of Spring "GoodBye" - Flaming Heart | LON Music Official**

* * *

 **XI.**

"Here we are, at last!" The Sakra Devanam exclaimed as she leaned herself against a board that stated, Lanox Village.

While walking, she had gained a few minor burns from the lava which had spurted randomly from the ground. It wasn't as if she didn't expect it, however it was so sudden her reaction time slowed down. The lava didn't touch her skin but it was close enough to slightly burn it, giving it a light red hue. At this point, all she wanted to do was to find an inn and rest so she could tend to her injuries. She glimpsed over to the scientist who was glancing around the village.

"There's an inn nearby that we can stay at," Add stated coolly, brushing a hand through his hair.

Nodding, the female stood back up, pulling her hair back to cool her neck. The heat and humid from the lava was overwhelming and she could feel sweat trickling down her back. As the Mastermind started walking, Ara quickly followed after, closing the gap between herself and him. Soon enough, the two reached a place with a sign that stated, Silent Night Shelter. As they entered, the sounds of the bells chimed loudly. Add walked up to the counter, leaning his arms against the desk as he spoke with the woman at the front.

"I-I'm sorry, all the rooms are full and the only room open has only one room with one bathroom. Is.. is that okay with your lover?" The woman behind the desk carefully asked Add, yet the question was clearly heard by Ara.

She took a quick glance towards the scientist, who slightly looked away from the counter as he ran his fingers along the side of his hair. He took a glimpse over his shoulders, matching his eyes towards Ara's as he gave her a questioning look. She felt the heat rising to her cheeks, as she answered back,

"I-I'm fine with one room. I- I mean we do need a place to stay for the night, so…." She trailed off as she came to the end of her sentence. Add sighed silently under his breath as he nodded his head towards the woman behind the counter.

The lady quickly gave the scientist the key to their room as he handed her ED. After swinging the keys around his fingers, he tucked them into his pocket before turning his attention towards the stairs. He ushered the Devanam over before climbing up. Ara's face was still a bright red and she desperately hoped that she could play it off that it was because of the heat. As they walked up the stairs and down a hall, soon enough, they were standing in front of a door that stated 303. Add took out the keys from his pocket as he unlocked the door. A creaking sound welcomed the two as they walked in. The room was rather small and cozy, the walls a beautiful hazel color. The floor was wooden and in the middle towards the right was a queen-sized bed with pristine white sheets. On the left side of the bed was a closet and on the right side a small desk with a chair and a lamp placed on top. There was a door opposite the bed, probably leading to the bathroom.

The male made his way over to the chair, pulling it out and plopping down. He let out a sigh and leaned back against it, closing his eyes. Ara quietly followed suite, placing her spear and bag against the wall. Despite the walls being wooden, it was rather cool within the room due to the wind runes placed in a fashionable pattern. It didn't seem like Add had the energy to shower yet, so she would go first.

She swiftly stripped her clothes off after gently locking the wooden door behind her. Turning the faucet on, she climbed in the tub carefully.

"Hot!" She exclaimed as steaming water suddenly came pouring out, stepping back as she reached for the other knob.

Turning it slightly, the water eventually turned warmed and comfortable. Patiently, she waited for the water to fill to the brim before turning it off and submerging herself in it. She leaned against the walls of the tub as she lifted her head and let out a huge sigh. Indeed, it was one of the most relaxing bath she ever took. After a long journey of travelling from Western Hamel, all the way to the Lanox. The Devanam and the Mastermind faced various demons that delayed their journey, however, it is definitely a journey she would never forget.

A couple of minutes passed by as Ara reminiscenced her time with Add. She realized the situation, that she's taking too long inside the tub and sudden guilt rushed to Ara's mind that Add probably wants to take a bath after a long day as well. She lifted up the plug and let the water drain itself into the tiny hole as she stepped out the tub. She quickly patted her hair and wrapped herself around with a towel and walked out―without another thought.

As soon as she opened the door, she came to a halt. Add was standing in front of her, his hand raised up with his fingers curled up― as if he was about to knock on the door.

"I was… wondering if you were sleeping inside the.. Um." He drifted off as he glanced down at Ara, only to see her wrapped in nothing but a giant towel.

Ara felt the heat suddenly rising up to her cheeks as she realized the situation, yet quite surprised to see Add having the same expression as her as he turned his face away from the Devanam. His wrist was covering his mouth as his ears were bright red.

"I…! S- sorry!" She apologized to Add with a nervous voice as she slammed the door. She leaned herself against the wall as she slumped down to the floor.

'Oh my god, what I have done…. How do I face him now?!' She thought to herself as she clasped her hands on top of her face, trying to cover up her redness. Before she started to panic, she realized she's going to have to face him within couple minutes.

She clenched her first tightly as she came up with a plan within couple seconds. She gripped onto the knob as she quickly twisted it― only to be surprised by the fact that Add wasn't standing in front of her, yet he was laying down on top of the bed. His back was facing her, and with a low voice that startled Ara, he said, "I'm not looking so hurry up and change."

Quite embarrassed yet touched by his generous actions, she quickly grabbed her clothes as she ran back inside the bathroom to change. She swiftly walked outside, patting her hair with the towel as he nervously glanced around the room.

"I- I'm done, if you want to take a bath." She said with a shaky voice due to nervousness. She glanced up, only to see Add grabbing his clothes and towels. He passed by her as he walked towards the bathroom, and with a gentle voice he said underneath his breath, "It's fine, I didn't see anything."

* * *

 **A/N**

Chapter 11 is here at last, it's a very chilled chapter.. maybe TOO CHILLED. NOTHING HAPPENS /FLIPS TABLE  
We apologize if this chapter is boring, it's boring to us LMAO. But starting Chapter 12 is where the action starts!  
There is total of 15 chapters, so Tainted is almost coming to an end!  
And their inn, Silent Night Shelter is the name of the resting area in Lanox! (Sorry, we're not creative with inn names lol)  
As always, thank you guys for reading and please follow/favorite/review!

* * *

 **REPLIES**

 _Replies to reviews are shared between iReii and Spirify!_

 **SpiritedLun:** We love Add x Ara, too! Thank you for reading :)

 **TheWindWhispers:** ADRA FOREVER!

 **Ayako:** Thank you for always reviewing, we really appreciate your kind words! Don't worry, MOAR CHAPTERS ARE ON YOUR WAY!

 **HARU:** Thank you so much! XD

 **Katana:** Thank you for your kind words!


	12. XII

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **No Game No Life - No Colour [EXTENDED] | Kanta974**

* * *

 **XII.**

The owls were singing their lonely songs as the stars shined the dark skies of the night. The moon was high up in the sky, reflecting its lights onto the two adventurer's window. Ara tilted her heads toward her right, realizing Add was already fast asleep. Due to lack of rooms within an inn, the two had to share a room that contained one bath and bed. Add's back was facing Ara, his short, silver locks gently laid on top of the bed. And there was Ara―with nervousness over pouring her mind as her palms remained sweaty. Gripping onto the blanket on top of the two, she remained unmoved.

"Ugh…" A low groan was spoken by Add, and Ara was quick enough to tilt her head back towards Add as she saw him sit up from his position. He suddenly turned around to face Ara, which made her startle, as he murmured underneath his breath. "I can't."

"What?" The Devanam asked with curiosity filled in her voice. And he continued while rubbing his eyes, "I just can't. I'll sleep on the floor." He stood up and walked towards a small closet located in the corner. He digged through until he found a thin sheet of blanket and a pillow, which he dumped it on top of the ground, following it with his body. 'So he wasn't sleeping…?' Ara thought to herself as she positioned her body to the middle of the bed, his warmth still lingering in the sheets.

* * *

"Come on." A husky voice was spoken, following with a pillow that was thrown onto Ara's face. Quite angered, Ara sat up with her eyebrows scrunched together, only to realize it was Add who threw the pillow on her face. In fact, he was standing in corner of the room, brushing his teeth as he let out a mumbled chuckle. "You wanna go help your brother? Get up." He said as he walked back inside the bathroom. Embarrassed, Ara swiftly stretched her body and placed her feet down onto the ground, and quickly changed into her Sakra Devanam's outfit.

After consuming a quick breakfast, the two left the inn. Trailing behind Add, Ara glanced around the town of Lanox, heated lava just flowing beneath the city. It was humid and hot, buildings with clockworks churning endlessly. Within the center of the town was a large, circular tube with two others connecting on the side, a watery substance flowing up and down. As they walked, Ara found herself interested in how the buildings were shaped and how everything functioned together.

Add came to halt in front of a giant metal door. He placed his palm on top as the coldness chilled into his body, yet he didn't flinch. Ara gulped due to nervousness as Add pushed in, frosty air breezing out, welcoming the two. The room was dark and silent, as if she was sucked by a black hole. Ara whipped her head back, her silky black hair swaying in the air as she heard the sound of a door creaking behind her. As soon as the door was closed, and the light that filtered into the air vanished, there it went―

Desperate cries, monstrous growls, screaming howls, Ara covered her ears with her slender fingers in hopes of blocking the terrible screech. "Add?" She screamed with desperation, yet her voice was covered by the unknown source of monsters, pushing down upon her. "Add, where are you?! Add!" She whipped her vision back and forth, in hopes of trying to find the scientist that was standing before her few minutes ago. Then she felt his warm fingers embracing hers as he reassured her panicked heart, and just like a magic, her heart that was pounding viciously calmed down within a second.

She felt Add stepping towards the darkness, and without hesitation, Ara followed him as he never released his hands from hers. Then the lights started to flicker above her, brightening up the entire room. Ara gaped in shock.

Behind metal cages, stacked upon one another were corrupted humans. As if they were hunger-deprived, they hissed while glaring towards the two that walked in. Only a giant light towards the middle of the ceiling was their only light source. Towards the corner of the room was a rather large, rectangular table to which the male walked over to. Add grabbed his bag, pulling out vials of liquid and paper as he placed it upon the table.

"Wh―what is this?" She asked, with her hand near her chest, while the other one remained holding onto Add's. Her heart started to pound violently once again, as she glanced around the entire room. "Corrupted humans." Add said with an emotionless tone; he wasn't surprised or scared. Ara let out a breath, as she glanced around the room with bewilderment. Innocent or guilty humans, they were all trapped inside a tiny cage as if they were monsters. Their fangs drawn out, sharp and grinded, ready to pierce any human's skin. Their eyes shined bright red, like the colors of a fresh blood, and their skins glistened a pale violet tone. And lastly, two black horns were ripped out of their forehead, along with black wings ripped out from their back. Memories of her brother, Aren, being possessed flew into her mind as she gazed around, matching her apricot eyes with their bloody ones.

'Is this… how Aren is?' She thought to herself, blocking her mouth with her fingers as she stared in awe. Then another thought fluttered into his mind, 'Is he here?'. She walked towards a cage, one closer to the ground and one closer to her. She stood in front of one of the cages. There, she saw hint of a silky, white hair, long enough to reach a waist. 'Aren?' She thought to herself as she stood in front of the cage. Then suddenly, a teenage boy― possibly fifteen years old jumped. He hissed at the sight of her, and then with a sudden swiftness, he clashed his claws behind the bars. Surprised, Ara fell down to the floor, as she screamed in fear.

"Ara!" She heard Add's voice from a distance and his footstep coming closer and closer to her. He placed his hands on top of both of her shoulders as he said underneath his breath, "You alright?" As her heart began to pound viciously from surprisement. She nodded, sweat trickling down her back. The teenage boy continued to hiss, with his back scrunched back behind the bars as he slowly backed away. Ara stood up, with the help of Add, as she brushed the dirt away from her clothes.

"I thought― I thought I saw my brother for a moment…" With her body still trembling, she whispered to Add, who stared at her with slight hint of concern. "He wouldn't be here." He sighed out, as he walked back to where he was. Ara trailed along, as she glanced around the room once again.

Add placed multiple needles down on top of a lab table, each filled with the antidote for purifying the corrupted demons. He cleaned the sharp edges on each of them with a cotton ball that was soaked in alcohol. Ara watched the scientist as he set each tools down with care, as she sat on top of a chair placed next to a table.

"It's gonna be a pain in the ass trying to keep them still." He said, as he cleaned of the last needle. Ara glanced up, and realized he was staring down at her, his body leaning towards the table as he balanced himself with a hand placed on each end.

Ara nodded, as sudden nervousness overwhelmed her mind. As soon as Add received Ara's reply, he continued, "Alright, then let's start."

He walked over to the nearest cage, and placed his hands on top of a lever near the cage. He glanced over to match Ara's eyes, who clenched onto her spears tightly as she nodded her head in nervousness. Then without a hesitation, Add lifted up the bars, and the first demon was released.

* * *

 **A/N**

Finally their actual journey begun!  
If you guys were wondering why Add said Aren wouldn't be here is because the corrupted humans behind the metal bars are the ones that have been captured near the Lanox Village, while Aren is in Hamel! Also, he's powers are being controlled by the demons so he wouldn't be locked up.  
If you guys have any more questions, don't hesitate to write in review section, we'll be sure to reply!  
As always, thank you for reading and please follow/favorite/review!

* * *

 **REPLIES**

 _Replies to reviews are shared between iReii and Spirify!_

 **Handara** : Ahhh thank you! We really appreciate your kind words! As promised, the next chapter is here and please look forward to chapter 13 :)

 **Ailee** : Thank you for reading my other stories :) -iReii | We really tried to come up with the correct descriptions and personalities for Add and Ara! We figured while writing this that Add is a high fan of chocolate so we just had to add in that part XD and we also realized Ara was a bit clumsy by looking at her Model Pose in game LOL. Also, thank you for your words!

 **Preneli** : LOL thank you for calming our rage, and we're so glad to hear that we were able to maintain the balance between action and romance scenes! YES WE TRIED TO MAKE ADD INTO A FINE GENTLEMAN XD Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it :D

 **TheWindWhispers:** HAHA that part was funny for us too! We're also glad that you liked this chill chapter as well! Hope you enjoyed~

 **IrunaLyoko:** Your waited update is here! Hope you'll enjoy :D


	13. XIII

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **A Day Without You Piano Cover - SHINEE & EXO | REYNAH**

* * *

 **XIII.**

"Now!" The scientist screamed as soon as the levers were pulled and the bars were raised.

One of the corrupted demons lunged forward, aiming straight towards Add, who blocked it off with his dynamos. Ara dashed forward, blocking the demon's sharp claws with her spears. Impressed by her quick movements, he gave off a playful smirk which made Ara blush slightly. He took out the needle from his pockets as he injected it into the demon's neck. Suddenly, his horns and wings started to fade away, like dandelion fading into the sky. His bloody eyes started to turn back to its usual color― brown. And his pale violet skin started to turn back normal. With a gasp, Ara glanced over to Add, who was actually quite surprised. She smiled, and so did he.

"We did it, Add!" The Devanam applauded as she jumped up and down with happiness painted over her face. She rushed over to Add and wrapped her arms over his neck, a joyful hug. After realizing what she has just done, she quickly backed away as her face started to heat up. She glanced up towards Add, who was blocking his mouth with his wrist while staring at the distance. And for a second, Ara was confused―'Is he blushing?'

* * *

The purified human fainted as soon as its physical appearances turned back to normal. Add placed him next to his cage, with his back resting upon the wall. The scientist and the Devanam kept watch on the purified human, to see his reaction as soon as he wake up. After about ten minutes, his brown eyelashes fluttered open as he gazed around with a confused glance.

"Wh―where am I?" He choked out due to dehydration as Ara quickly passed him a bottle of water.

"You were corrupted, and turned into a demon." Add said coolly as he started to scribble down words on a paper, secured by a notepad.

"But now you're a human!" Ara exclaimed, with a bright smile as the purified male drank his water.

Successful purification after another, the two saved multiple humans, as the corrupted humans returned back to their own states. Many appreciated the two, yet the scientist ignored their words as Ara nervously replied back to them. Then she glimpsed over, only to see the teenage boy that attacked her earlier. He was returned back to his human state as well, and she was surprised to see how innocent he actually looked. With a blonde hair and blue eyes, the boy glanced around with a confused look.

Ara walked over, and asked, "Do you remember what happened?"

The boy matched his eyes with hers as he tilted his head. "Um.. no, I don't remember anything. I'm sorry" He said, with slightly nervous tone.

Ara smiled as she patted his head and walked over to Add, who was organizing all the papers he finished writing.

* * *

"Add, I think we're done here." Ara said, with her fingers locked behind her back and her silky black hair swaying back and forth.

Anyone could tell she was extremely happy and excited. Add glanced over, and turned his body around to face the Devanam.

"The last one is for your brother." He said, as he tilted his head towards his lab table, only one needle laid on top.

Ara came back to her senses, that all of this happened because she asked the scientist to purify her brother. The two invented the antidote and cured multiple people, and the fact that their journey will be over made her heart ache.

"So… it's almost over." She whispered, with a depressed tone filled in her voice.

Add glanced up from his notepad, to meet her apricot eyes as he replied, "Yeah."

He turned around, and walked over to the last purified person. Ara glanced down, tears starting to bubble in her apricot eyes at the thought of their journey coming to an end. She became fond of the scientist, even developed feelings for him. The thought of the two, saying their last farewell, and that they may never see each other again made her tear roll down her face. 'I never got to tell him… how I feel.' She thought to herself, as Eun let out a sigh within her soul. She wiped away the tears and looked up, only to see the view of his broad back. The wide back she saw many times… Yet, it seemed so unfamiliar. His slender fingers writing down each name of the people they purified together, was the same fingers that embraced Ara.

Then he turned around. His amethyst eyes matching her apricot ones. The eyes that were so cold hearted when they first met, yet are one of the most beautiful eyes she ever matched with her own orbs. He walked over to her, which startled Ara. 'Oh god, I just cried, my eyes must be red…!' She thought to herself as she played with her fingers, behind her back.

"We're done." To her surprise, the scientist didn't seem to notice her expression. With a sigh of relief, Ara trailed behind Add, who was returning back to the lab table to organize everything.

After packing everything back up and placing the last antidote into a safe container, the male turned to face her. Ara was quiet, playing with her hands behind her back as she gazed down at the ground. She knew what was coming, she knew he was going to give her the antidote so she would look for her brother by herself. He had stated it clearly within the deal and she wasn't going to ask for more after all he's done for her. Slowly, she glanced up, waiting for the antidote to be shoved into her face but she was met with his own eyes gazing down at her. She felt a blush crawl across her face and she looked away quickly.

"Well, let's head back to the inn to rest up before we go look for your brother," Add murmured quietly, stepping away as he headed for the door.

Surprised, the Devanam's head shot up as she stared with wide eyes. Her mouth was slightly open as she watched him open the door, turning back with a raised eyebrow.

"You're going to help me find Aren…?" She questioned, unable to conceal the smile that had twitched onto her rosy lips.

"Yeah." The Mastermind said without a thought as he opened the door.

* * *

 **A/N**

Aaaand that is it for chapter 13! We didn't include it in this chapter, and only realized it when we were rereading before posting... but before they go search out and look for Aren, they're going to finish their exchange: antidote for Eun inside Ara's soul. So inside the inn, the two will perform the exchange, which is described in Chapter 4!  
 **Also, the next chapter, Chapter 14 will be the official last chapter for Tainted. There is Chapter 15, however, it's only around 500 words, so it's a short epilogue. We will be posting Chapter 14 and Chapter 15 at the same day!**  
As always, thank you guys for reading! Please don't forget to follow/favorite/review!

* * *

 **REPLIES**

 **He-Jay** : Thank you for your amazing feedback! Here is your awaited chapter 13 ~ Hope you enjoy c:

 **Katana** : Ahhhh that makes us so flattered XD Thank you! AND YES ADRA 4 LYFE

 **Handara** : LOL the bed scene made us feel so fluffy inside too :D We're glad that our description was enough to make you imagine the place! LOL if the experiment wasn't a success, we would kind of run out of ideas and would repeat stuff :c But thank you for your kind words!

 **Preneli** : Thank you! We really worked on our transition in this chapter lol. AND OMG CLUMSY ARA, SUCH A TROLL XD Here is your awaited Chapter 13!

 **Ailee** : LOL us, too! Ara looks so cute in that pose XD Thank you so much!


	14. XIV

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

* * *

BGM **[Piano Music] Consolation In Sorrow - Flaming Heart | LON Music Official**

* * *

 **XIV.**

Ara sat down on top of the bed, glancing down at the wooden floor of their inn, fidgeting as she played with her fingers. Add, who was mere couple feet away was sitting down on a chair next to a desk, tapping his fingers impatiently.

"Ready now?" Add asked the Devanam, a slight of hint of annoyance could be heard within his husky voice. Ara glanced up, startled by his sudden question. She gulped down, and slowly nodded her head.

Add let out a nervous sigh as he glanced down his desk, an unknown chemical with the color of orange and purple fused together.

'Are you ready, Eun?' The Sakra Devanam asked the fox silently as she closed her eyes.

 _I am,_ the fox replied without a hesitation.

Ara glanced up back towards Add, who was gripping onto the bottle filled with the chemical that will take Eun out of her body. This was their exchange; Add will make the antidote and Ara will give Eun. With a sigh, the scientist gulped down the chemical, his amethyst eyes wincing as he felt the sensation of the chemical burning down his throat. Worried, Ara reached her hand out, but quickly retreated it as Add finished gulping down the chemical. Slightly scared, Ara stepped back as Add glanced towards her, his amethyst eyes glowing in the dark.

Slowly, as he continued to wince with pain, he grabbed Ara's wrist, and rather violently, he pulled her closer to her. Ara winced at his sudden actions, yet allowed him to do so as he gently wrapped his arms around her waist. With a sweat trickling down her back, she closed her eyes as she allowed the scientist to match his lips against hers.

'Goodbye, Eun.' She silently said to the fox as she felt his soul living her body. _Farewell, Ara._ He replied back. With a tear rolling down her cheeks, the two continued to share their kiss.

"What the―?!" Out of a sudden, the scientist pulled back, his wrist wiping his lips as blood was escaping. Surprised, Ara stood up and walked over to the scientist as she grabbed his shoulder. "Add, are you alright?!"

'What is happening?!' She thought to herself as she gazed back towards the bed, where she was sitting― and where they kissed. She glanced back, only to be surprised by Add's physical appearance.

 **A demon.**

"A―Add?" She asked as she stepped back, fear overwhelming her. Add looked up, his amethyst eyes changed to the color of the blood, as it glowed, he deprived blood, his sclera turning pitch black. With horns growing on top of his forehead, and with devil wings ripping out of his back, as his pale skin turned into pale violet, he grabbed Ara by her shoulders, claws ripping through her skin. She winced due to the pain, yet she didn't look away from Add.

"Add… Wake up! We― we still have our… journey!" She yelled out, trying to wake the scientist up from his nightmare, yet it was effortless. He didn't hear a thing and continued to stare at Ara with a look that's ready to kill her any second.

"Remember our promise?! Remember all the memories we shared?! Add, please! Listen to me!" Ara cried with a desperate plea while continuing to stare back to Add's hungered eyes.

"Remember how we met― I stumbled upon you, trying to stop from running and I didn't even realize you were the person I was searching for!" Ara continued, as tears were rolling down from her eyes endlessly.

"Remember the breakfast we shared― and how you offered me beer instead?! Remember how I accidentally knocked the chemical over― and I thought you were going to be mad at me, yet you weren't!"

Add remained silent as he drew his fangs out, ready to lunge out on the vulnerable Sakra Devanam. Ara winced again due to his sharp claws digging through her shoulders, yet she continued,

"Add… we shared so many memories! Even if we didn't start off well…. At the end…!" She trailed off for a second.

And just then― when Add lunged onto Ara, his sharp fangs digging through her neck as Ara's blood spurted out, Ara whispered, "At the end… I realized― I… I love you, Add…"

And without another sound, the Devanam fell to the floor, her innocent soul living her cold body. Add sat back up, releasing his fangs and claws that have been stained by blood. His eyes changing back to his amethyst eyes, yet his sclera still remaining black.

"Ara…" He said underneath his breath, unable to comprehend what he have just done, and what have happened to Ara a moment ago. "What have I…" He whispered as he stared down at his own claws, stained by her blood. The lonely scientist's eyes started to bubble and tears started to roll down from his eyes.

"Ara! Ara, wake up!" Add screamed, grasping her shoulders as her blood dripped out from the large tear within her neck. Realizing it was futile, he stopped, the Devanam's body limply tilting backwards onto the bed.

"I love you too, Ara…" He whispered, as he rested his head on top of Ara, letting out a desperate cry― a cry from a demon. And without another sound, he reached his claws out,

And there― the demonic scientist plunged his claws into his own neck as his body lifelessly fell to the floor.

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 **A/N**

 **THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER FOR TAINTED! EPILOGUE IS POSTED RIGHT AFTER, LABELED AS CHAPTER 15!**  
They are both pretty short, less than 1k so we decided to just post them at the same time.  
Please don't hurt us for a sad ending, but we started this story with the idea of a tragic end!  
We hope the kiss scene was enough to calm you down... even though it was rather violent XD  
And we aplogize, this chapter is extremely rushed! We ran out of ideas and didn't know what else to add...  
Also, the reason why Add turned into a demon, what happened to Aren, etc., are all found in the next chapter!  
Thank you guys for reading, and please follow/favorite/review!

* * *

 **EXTRA**

Spirify and iReii, both of us use Google Docs to write our stories together and sometimes when our brains are being fried,  
we tend to mess around a lot. And while iReii was working on Chapter 14, SHE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!  
Therefore, a funny scene was created within this chapter, but we didn't wanted to delete it since it was so funny XD So we decided to share with you guys!  
Hope it's funny to you guys as well XD

.

"Remember our promise?! Remember all the memories we shared?! Add, please! Listen to me!" Ara cried with a desperate plea while continuing to stare back to Add's hungered eyes.

"THANKS. IM DIABOLIC ESPER NOW. LOVE THIS JOB CHANGE EVENT." HE SAID.

"PHEW, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO KILL ME XD" ARA SAID.

"LOL NAH. U GUCCI. NOW BYE GOTTA RAID. MEET ME IN DA FANFIC [RAID] I'M TWO TIMING ILL BE WITH AISHA."

" ULITTLEFUCK."

[BAHAHHAHH WTF HAPPENED HERE AHAHHAHAHA IT WAS SO DRAMATIC THEN AHAHHAHAHAHA] -SPIRIFY

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 **REPLIES**

 **lily0217** : ahhh sorry, but the story has to be finished somehow c: I hope you enjoyed Tainted! Thanks for reading :D

 **Katana** : Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed Tainted c: Thank you for always leaving a review :D

 **Guest (Qistiko)** : Qisqis, what a cute yet unique nickname that is! LOL Tainted will never be deleted, so please get your sleep and read later on! Thank you for your review, and your emoticons are so cute XD


	15. XV

.

 **Tainted**  
 _iReii | Spirify_

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BGM **Moon Rising At Noon - Yang Su Hyeok / Flaming Heart | Yang Su Hyeok Official**

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 **XV.**

Rays of sunshine reflected on top of the window as trees danced along with the wind. It was a rather beautiful day after such a chaotic event that occurred exactly one year ago. A petite female with violet locks tied off with a black ribbon on both sides of her head gently closed the book within her hands. The cover of the book reading, **Tainted.**

A sigh escaped from her lips as she reached out for her tea that was placed on the table stand near her. She took a sip and glanced down at the book once again.

 _Tainted. A true story about a soldier and a demon that loved each other, only to be tainted by the power of demons._

"This is not what you wanted, Ara." The girl whispered underneath her breath as she let out another sigh, glancing up towards the chandelier hanging above her. A tear formed in her lavender eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes in despair. She let herself reflect back to the history of the two lovers, that spent their last moments in each other's arms.

A trade that should've never been settled, a meeting that should've never happened; fate was not on their side. If only the two didn't meet, if only the two never loved each other, they would of never been tainted.

A demon that slayed its own neck― it has never happened before, a demon would never kill itself because of its own emotions.  
A soldier that wasn't afraid of the demon― it has never happened before, a human would never have the courage to wake the soul out of a demon.

Unfortunate to the unfated lovers, they were never able to tell their feelings to one another. A tragic story between a soldier and a scientist. Their journey was caused by demons, and their journey was finished by demons.

Aren, the reason why the soldier set her foot out of her castle, his soul has been tainted completely. His ashes burned off with the Dark El and his soul left the cruel world along with his sister. The Northern Empire of Fluone Continent who lost two valuable soldiers was left powerless and the people within the castle soon escaped to form their own tiny village. The scientist's lab, left with nothing but dust being collected on top of the tables was untouched ever since his death.

After a year of research, scientists have gathered enough information why Add became corrupted. The Eun inside Ara's body was corrupted by demons unwillingly when Aren blasted his sister with his magic, knocking her unconscious which led to her journey to find Add. Once the exchange between the soldier and the scientist occurred, the demonic power was transferred to the scientist, corrupting his mortal being.

A soldier and a corrupted scientist's depressing story has been created by the soldier's friend, Aisha the Void Princess. Aisha wrote her prayers within a book, wishing an eternal rest for the two lovers,

 **Ara and Add.**

 _The two unfortunate lovers, without fate leading their path, their love ended in bloodshed― tainted._

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 ** _The end._**

 _Tainted.  
Started: June 8th, 2016_  
 _Completed: July 21st, 2016_  
 _Last Chapter Posted: August 10th, 2016_

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 **A/N**

Two month long journey of Tainted has been finished at last!  
We thank you guys so much for sticking with us to the end!  
After being hiatus on fanfiction for about two years, this story was the first story to be created for both of us!  
Our brains were being fried up at the last few chapters, so we apologize if everything seems so rushed.  
There was times where we wanted to quit this story... but you guys made us come this far! Thank you all :D  
If you loved our stories, please check out our other stories as well!  
iReii is posting RAID & Checkmate and Spirify is posting Sacrifice!  
We hope you guys enjoyed the story c: As always, please favorite/follow/review!


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